Face and Neck Lift Article 9

Optimal Scar Placement in Facelifts

The scar around the earlobe is perhaps the most important. The scar should not lie directly in the lobular-facial crease because the crease itself constitutes a delicate anatomic subunit that should not be disrupted. A superior result will be obtained if the scar is situated a few millimeters inferior to this junction and an attempt is not made to join thin, soft earlobe directly with thick cheek skin. Also, it is imperative that not too much tension is placed to pull the earlobe inferiorly.

Dr. Hughes performs short scar facelifts and does not make incisions into the temporal hairline or the occipital hairline. Incisions within occipital scalp may result in an unnatural and intolerable absence of occipital hair and notching of the occipital hairline. Also, the temporal incision will either leave a visible scar or shift the hairline unnaturally.

Dr. Hughes will explain to you if you will need a submental incision hidden in the chin crease to perform surgery on the front of your neck. You may only need liposuction, which will not require the incision.

Follow-up

Dr. Hughes will see you the day following your surgery. He does not place drains so there is no need to be apprehensive. Your dressings will be removed and the result inspected. Your stitches will be removed in about one week. Bruising will be gone in about one week.